Regulus Black, Secret Agent
by Lady Nightwisp
Summary: Harry, Hermione, and Ron, secret-agents-in-training, overhear a conversation between agents Mooney and Padfoot regarding an agent who's been missing for years. They set off to find the truth behind the disappearance of Agent Basilisk, aka Regulus Black.
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: Not mine.

Author's note: The basic idea of this is a light-hearted rewrite of 'Kreacher's Tale' with all the characters as secret agents. If anyone has read my Wolf's Rain Fanfic, SpyWolves, this story is based on the same idea, making the characters secret agents. However, the similarities end there. So if you're looking for a crackfic, sorry. Not to say this isn't funny (at least, I hope it's funny). It's just a bit more serious and actually makes sense. Also, this is set in a world without magic, but with really fancy technology. And, oh! This is important! Dr. Riddle is Voldemort, however, he was defeated for good when Harry was a baby. The Tom Riddle mentioned is his son, who's kind of the equivalent of the diary horcrux.

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><p>Seventeen year old Harry Potter, aka Junior Agent Lightning, motioned to his friends that the way was clear. Hermione Granger, Junior Agent Otter, and Ron Weasley, Junior Agent Keeper, followed him down the silent hallway.<p>

As Junior Agents, they technically weren't allowed to leave headquarters without at least one full-fledged Agent with them, but this wasn't the first time they'd snuck out. The trio firmly believed that doing the right thing was more important than obeying orders. Luckily for them, Commander Lemon Drop, the head of the Order of the Phoenix, agreed with them. Otherwise, they would have been thrown out of the Order ages ago. Even so, they had debated quite a bit about this trip they were planning. Their last few escapades had been to help society and the greater good. They had infiltrated the lair of the mad scientist Quirrel and turned his own creations against him, preventing him from carrying out his plan to implant mind control devices in the entire population of England; they had rescued Ron's sister, Ginny aka Junior Agent Scarlet, from the clutches of Tom Riddle, the maddened son of the evil Dr. Riddle, the man who had been defeated years ago when he tried to kill Harry and his family; they had rescued Agent Mooney, Remus Lupin, when he was kidnapped and used as a test subject for a group of villains intent on creating a race of human-wolf hybrids; they had prevented Professor Umbridge from brainwashing students across the country. But those tasks had been different. They had been serving the greater good. They had known that they were the only ones who could get the job done. After all, Harry had a special talent that allowed him to alter his DNA structure, allowing him to get past security systems easily, and Hermione had a miniature computer implanted directly in her brain. Compared to them, Ron was pretty normal, but he was loyal and strong, and always there to support them. They were already one of the best teams in the Order, and they weren't even full-fledged agents yet.

This time, the job wasn't as vital as any of the others. In fact, they were taking up a mission that Headquarters had given up on. The chances of success were small, the effects of success would help few people, and the trio's skills would not be much help. Furthermore, they would be full-fledged Agents in less than a year. All they had to do was pass the final test, which had been hinted at as some sort of simulated mission. Now was not a good time to sneak off. They didn't want to risk being expelled from the Order. But they were going to do it anyway. They had to. Harry remembered the fateful conversation they had overheard a week ago. He knew that, even if Ron and Hermione had chosen not to go, he would have gone. He remembered vividly the day they had heard about this mission.

"_I'm sorry, Sirius," Remus Lupin said with a sigh. "You know we don't have any agents to spare. It's been fifteen years. If we were going to find him, we would have found him ages ago. Anyway, we've kept this mission open for far longer than protocol allows. The maximum amount of time devoted to a missing person case is five years, and only then for extremely high-ranking agents or children. We're going to have to declare this case closed and report him as 'missing, presumed dead.' I know how hard this is for you, but you're going to have to accept it. He's gone, Sirius."_

"_I know," Sirius, aka Agent Padfoot, admitted, running a hand nervously through his black hair. "But there's some part of me that just can't accept it. I keep thinking that, if we just look a little harder, a little longer, we'll find him."_

"_I wish the world worked that way," Remus replied. "But you're going to have to let go."_

"_Fine," Sirius decided. "Do it."_

"_I already did," Remus told him. _

"_So I didn't have a choice," Sirius realized._

"_If you hadn't agreed, I wouldn't have told you," Remus said. "You could have continued your life thinking we were still searching."_

_He held out a folder towards Sirius._

"_This is his file," he explained. "I figured you'd want it."_

_Sirius shook his head and set it down on the table._

"_I have my memories," he told Remus. "I don't want to see him reduced to statistics."_

"_I understand," Remus said. "I'm sorry."_

_Sirius smiled half-heartedly at his friend and walked out of the library. Remus left a few minutes later, leaving the file resting on the table, perhaps assuming Sirius would return for it._

_Moments later, Harry, Ron, and Hermione snuck out of their hiding place behind the bookshelves._

"_What was that about?" Ron asked._

"_I don't know," Harry replied._

"_Agent Basilisk," Hermione read the name on the folder. _

"_Who was that?" Ron wondered._

_Hermione opened the folder._

"_Regulus Black, Sirius' brother," she told them. "He's been missing for fifteen years. He disappeared during 'Operation Guardian,' a plan to infiltrate Dr. Riddle's headquarters."_

"_I thought Agent Grease was sent into Dr. Riddle's hideout," Ron recalled._

"_He was sent in there to spy," Hermione explained. "Regulus was sent in there to find out about something called 'Project Locket.'" _

_Harry had been very quiet as Ron and Hermione discussed things._

"_We should do it," he said. _

_Both of them turned to stare._

"_What?" Hermione asked._

"_We should go find Regulus," Harry declared._

"_Are you mad?" Ron asked. "He's been missing for years. And nobody's been able to find him. What makes you think we have a chance?"_

"_Nothing," Harry admitted. "But Sirius is my godfather, he's always done everything he could for me. I want to help him. I mean, you saw how distressed he is."_

"_What if Regulus is dead?" Hermione asked. "You have to admit it's a likely possibility."_

"_We have to try," Harry insisted. _

"_12 Grimmauld Place," Hermione said._

"_What?" asked Ron._

"_That was where he lived," she explained. "We should start searching there."_

_Harry smiled. _

"_Thanks, Hermione."_

"Harry!" Hermione hissed. "Stop daydreaming! We need to go!"

"Right,"

Avoiding several security cameras, whose layout he knew like the back of his hand, Harry continued to make his way out of headquarters. Ron and Hermione were close behind. Suddenly, he stopped.

"What are you doing?" Ron asked in a whisper.

Harry pressed one finger to his lips and pointed the other down the hall.

Severus Snape, or Agent Grease, was patrolling the corridor, blocking their path outside.

"What do we do?" Hermione asked.

Harry thought about it for a moment.

"Hermione, locations of nearby DNA sensors?" he asked.

"Three in this hallway, two in the one Snape's in, and four in the one we just came through," she told him, closing her eyes to access the computer imbedded in her brain.

"Where are the one in the corridor Snape's in?" Harry asked.

"One right next to where he's standing, one down the hall, past this hallway," Hermione said.

"Can you give Ron the coordinates to the one down the hall?" Harry requested.

Hermione nodded.

"Sending coordinates," she whispered.

The small computer strapped to Ron's wrist flipped open and a dialog box popped up.

'Message received from Agent Otter'

"What do I do with it?" Ron asked.

"Program one of your nanobots with instructions to fly to those coordinates and drop the container I'm about to give you."

Ron nodded.

"I did it," he said.

Harry handed Ron a miniscule container. Ron handed the container to a robot no larger than an insect and it flew off. Seconds later, an alarm sounded and Snape ran passed them towards the sensor. While he was distracted, the three junior agents rushed past him and out the door to the outside world.

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><p>Thanks for reading.<p>

Please review.

Hope to see you back for the next chapter.


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: Don't own.

Author's note: I have a deviantart account now! Most of the stuff I post over there will be related to Regulus and some of it will be based on my stories here. There's a link in my profile, so go check it out! And remember, as mentioned last chapter, Tom Riddle is Dr. Riddle's(Voldemort's) son. Dr. Riddle was killed and Tom Riddle was captured and sent to Azkaban.

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><p>"What was in that container?" Hermione asked once they were safely outside.<p>

"DNA sample from Tom Riddle," Harry told her.

She stared.

"What? The Order's going to be in an uproar!" she shrieked. "He's in Azkaban right now! Imagine what they'd do if they thought he'd escaped."

"Snape is one of the few people who can tell the difference between genuine DNA and DNA from me when I've changed my DNA. Besides, once he finds Ron's nanobot and my smashed container, it won't be hard for him to deduce what happened."

"It's still risky," Hermione warned.

"It'll be fine," Harry assured her. "Come on, let's find this place."

"It's only three blocks away," Hermione told him. "Strange, you'd think someone would have found out more by now."

When they reached 12 Grimmauld Place, they understood why it had been difficult for anyone to find anything. 12 Grimmauld Place didn't exist.

"It must be a fake address," Hermione decided.

"But why is there a 13 and an 11 Grimmauld Place?" Ron pointed out. "I mean, it should be right between them."

"You have a point, Ron," Harry admitted. "I wonder…"

He changed his DNA to match Sirius' and began to approach the place where 12 Grimmauld Place should have been. Suddenly, it was there.

"Harry! Where are you?" he heard Hermione calling.

Harry stepped back.

"I found it," he told her. "It's there. There's just one hell of a security system. Here, take my hand."

He took Hermione's hand in his left hand and Ron's in his right and walked forward with them until 12 Grimmauld Place appeared.

"How'd you get us in here?" Hermione asked suspiciously.

"Lucky guess," Harry admitted. "I just figured that the wards might be programmed to recognize Sirius' DNA."

"Can we just get on with this?" Ron asked impatiently, heading towards the house.

He pushed open the door and Harry and Hermione followed him inside.

"It's a nice place," Harry remarked.

"There's something not quite right," Hermione muttered.

"Scan the house," Harry suggested.

She nodded. Moments later, her eyes snapped open.

"We're alone," she told them.

"Then what's that?" Ron asked, pointing at a shadow moving in their direction.

An ELF unit stepped out of the shadows.

The three friends tensed as the small robot approached them.

"Who are you?" the unit asked in a squeaky voice. "The wards told me Sirius Black had entered."

"I'm Harry Potter, and these are my friends, Ron and Hermione," Harry replied. "Who is your owner? Why are you here?"

"My owner is Regulus Black," the ELF said. "This is my home."

"We're looking for Regulus," Harry told him. "He disappeared a long time ago."

"Are you from the Order?" the ELF asked suspiciously.

Harry nodded.

"We're Junior Agents," he explained.

"Can you prove it?" the ELF asked.

Harry held out his palm, which contained a miniscule identification device imbedded in it. He knew the ELF would be able to scan it with a single glance. Ron and Hermione did the same.

"Come with me," the ELF requested.

He led them up to the second floor of the house, into some sort of study. With almost religious reverence, he picked up a small object from the desk and handed it to the trio.

"What is it?" Ron asked.

Hermione studied it for a few moments.

"It's an audio recorder," she realized. "A type 40! This is ancient! I've never seen one in real life!"

"Yeah, but what does it do?" Ron asked.

Hermione swatted playfully at him.

"It records audio files, idiot," she told him. "You can speak into it and it will record what you say."

"You mean you actually have to say stuff out loud?" Ron realized.

"Twenty years ago, this was cutting-edge technology," Hermione reminded him. "They didn't have telepathic analyzers."

"What happened to the ELF?" Harry wondered.

It was slumped over, unmoving.

"It lost power," Hermione told him. "I noticed when we came in that it had very low power. It must not be able to access its power source. It must have been hibernating for years, waiting for someone from the Order to come so it could carry out its final order."

"Final order?" Harry asked.

"ELFs are programmed to be loyal beyond all else," Hermione reminded him. "I think Regulus is dead, and this audio recorder will tell us what happened to him. Regulus' last order to this ELF must have been to deliver these files to someone in the Order. Now that it's finished its task, it finally let itself die. Of course, if we had a power source, we could revive it. But that ELF is ancient. It might be too old to be revived."

"How do we download the file from the audio recorder?" Ron asked. "I want to know what happened."

"Have you been listening to me?" Hermione wondered. "I told you, this is ancient. You don't download the file. You press this button and it plays."

She turned to Harry.

"This was your idea," she said. "Do you want to do the honors?"

Harry gently took the audio recorder and pressed the button Hermione had indicated. The small speakers in the device crackled to life, and a steady voice began speaking.

_Log OO_

_September 21, 1979_

_Operation Guardian_

_My name is Regulus Arcturus Black, codename: Agent Basilisk. This audio recorder will be used to store files from my upcoming mission, Operation Guardian._

_Mission objectives: I will be infiltrating the ranks of the evil Dr. Riddle's henchmen, known as the Death Eaters, with the assistance of my ELF (Electronic Life-simulating interFace), Kreacher. Agent Grease will assist me when possible; although his own mission is top priority (I won't say any of my fellow agents' real names, in case Dr. Riddle should one day break into these files.) My mission is to find out about Dr. Riddle's top secret plan, Project Locket, and attempt to stop it at all costs. Many lives are at stake. I pray I do not fail._

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><p>Thanks for reading. Who caught the Doctor Who reference?<p>

Review please?


	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: Do you really think I'm J.K. Rowling?

Author's note: Enjoy chapter 3

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><p><em>Log 01<em>

_September 25, 1979_

_Operation Guardian_

_Part one of the plan has been successful. I have managed to become a Death Eater. Dr. Riddle himself welcomed me to the group, however, I thought it wiser not to act against him at this time. There are rumors that he's found a way to achieve immortality and making a move in the open like that would only blow my cover. Anyway, I'm not here to destroy Dr. Riddle. My goal is Project Locket. I currently have no leads, although both Kreacher and myself are staying alert for clues. Personally, I think we need to get deeper into the organization before we can learn anything. But who knows? Sometimes the most important clues are found in the least expected places._

_On a separate note, the food here is terrible. It's like some sort of world-wide phenomenon; evil can't cook. I remember that time I got captured by the evil professor in Africa. He tried to feed me bugs. Of course, he was torturing me at the time, so that might not be the best example. Well, I know the French Mafia eats overcooked slugs. I wonder if inability to cook triggers some sort of chemical deficiency in the brain, resulting in megalomania. Or maybe it's the opposite; megalomania causes an inability to cook. I should study this once I finish Operation Guardian._

_Log 02_

_September 30, 1979_

_Operation Guardian_

_I've finally found a clue. Well, actually, Kreacher found it. He was hanging around the ELFs in the kitchens and he heard one of them mention a locket. After hacking into its brain structure, he discovered that Dr. Riddle has been searching for a very specific locket for several months now. It may have nothing to do with my mission, but I don't think so. I don't believe in coincidences. After all, we don't even know what Project Locket actually is. It seems quite likely that there is an actual locket involved. Besides, there are only two reasons I can think of for Dr. Riddle to be searching for a specific locket. Either a) he has a really picky girlfriend, or b) he needs it for some nefarious plan._

_Hold on. Kreacher just gave me the list of all lockets matching the description in the ELF's brain. _

_Oh no. _

_There's only one match. And it's the lost locket of Salazar Slytherin. That locket is rumored to have incredible power and, if used correctly, could give its owner immortality. This is really bad. I thought the rumors of immortality were only a joke. The last thing we need is an immortal megalomaniac. _

_Log 03_

_October 10, 1979_

_Operation Guardian_

_I saw Agent Wormtail here today. That's really strange. I asked Agent Grease and he said that Agent Wormtail is here on business for the Order, but I'm not sure I believe him. Why wasn't I told about this? They told me about Agent Grease. Agent Prongs knows that I don't trust Agent Wormtail. What's to stop me from poisoning him or something and ruining their plans? Anyway, what are their plans? I'm here to investigate Project Locket, Agent Grease is here to gather information. Why is Agent Wormtail here? I've been advising headquarters to get another mole in here, but Commander Lemon Drop is very against risking any more lives than necessary. Or was. I've been debating confronting Agent Wormtail myself, but it's too dangerous. If he is a traitor, as I suspect, that would give away my position. Under different circumstances, I would take the fact that I haven't been discovered yet as proof that he isn't a traitor, or at least that he isn't planning on revealing me, but not this time. Agent Wormtail doesn't know my real name or even my appearance. He no doubt knows that Agent Basilisk has been sent here to investigate Project Locket. But we've never met face to face and I have an alias listed as my name in my file, and no picture. Agent Padfoot says I'm paranoid, but my job is usually gathering information or infiltrating the bad guys' headquarters. I can't really have my name and picture lying around for any traitor or sufficiently talented computer hacker to find. I'll have to be more careful with my investigation. Dr. Riddle may know that someone is investigating Project Locket _

_Log 04_

_October 12, 1979_

_Operation Guardian_

_This is really bad. Agent Wormtail must have told Dr. Riddle about me. _

_I suppose I should explain. Today, during lunch, Dr. Riddle gave a presentation. And not just any presentation, a presentation on Project Locket. He claims that Project Locket is his plan to install small but powerful explosives in a series of necklaces, to be delivered to his enemies. It makes perfect sense. Too much sense. I'm worried. I fear that this is a fake, a plot to throw me off track. I'm extremely hesitant to contact Headquarters. As soon as I do so, I'll reveal myself. Dr. Riddle has the entire network monitored very closely. Even Agent Grease has no way to contact Headquarters. He delivers information in person, pretending to spy for Dr. Riddle. _

_Dr. Riddle claimed that the necklaces have been sent out and will arrive tonight. Agent Grease has already told me he can't get any message to Headquarters before that time without looking suspicious. His role here is much more important than mine. He can't be compromised. If anyone is to inform them, it has to be me. But if this isn't the real Project Locket, as I suspect, the consequences could be terrible. For all I know, this entire thing could be a bluff and he hasn't even sent out the lockets. Even worse, he could have sent out the lockets even if it is a bluff. What should I do? Agent Padfoot is on the list of those who will receive lockets. I have to warn him. But I have no way to contact him without giving away my position. Unless…_

_Hold on! I have an idea! It's risky, and it could still compromise my position, but it just might work. _

_I'll know tomorrow._

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><p>Thanks for reading.<p>

Reviews make me happy :)


	4. Chapter 4

Disclaimer: Still don't own.

Author's Note: The OC in this chapter, Marta Greengrass, was borrowed from another story I've been working on which is ridiculously long and won't be posted for a while. Also, I finally saw Wicked and it was amazing. I'll probably be posting some Wicked fanfic relatively soon.

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><p><em>Transmission Record<em>

_October 12, 1979, 5:37 pm_

_From: Regulus Black _

_To: Marta Greengrass_

_RE: Photo from summer_

_Attatchments: IMG_1357_

_Marta,_

_Sorry I haven't been able to see you very often lately. I've been busy working. I have a new employer and he's amazing. I really believe I'm doing some good in this world. I'd tell you more, but there's some pretty strict security around here_

_So, anyway, I wanted to ask you something. Do you remember where we took this picture? It's been bugging me. Was it London or Birmingham?_

_Yours,_

_Regulus_

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><p><em>Transmission Record<em>

_October 13, 1979, 7:43 pm_

_From: Marta Greengrass _

_To: Regulus Black _

_RE: Photo from summer_

_Regulus,_

_Glad to see you remembered I exist. Sounds like you enjoy your job. That's nice. My job is pretty boring._

_About the photo: It was London, silly! I can't believe you forgot eating at the Burned Duck. They had the really good salad, remember?_

_All my love,_

_Marta_

_P.S. You know how last time we talked you said you were going to send me a bracelet? It got here today. Unfortunately, I dropped it on the ground and one of the jewels cracked. Don't worry, I'm fine, only one jewel broke anyway. My dog stepped on it, but he isn't hurt too badly. I was wondering if you knew any good places to get jewelry repaired. You know me. I never wear jewelry._

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><p><em>Log 05<em>

_October 13, 1979_

_Operation Guardian_

_It worked. Thank god it worked. _

_So, here's what I did: I e-mailed my old girlfriend from college. We're allowed to contact people outside the Death Eaters. Dr. Riddle might find it a bit suspicious, but he won't be able to prove anything unless he looks really closely. The note was pretty mundane, nothing remotely suspicious. But the real message wasn't hidden there. The message was in the picture. The picture I sent as an attachment was taken with my HD spycam, so it has really good quality. Furthermore, Marta had that picture framed and put it on her wall, so she's pretty familiar with it. In that picture, we're standing in front of a restaurant in London. The menu for that restaurant is posted to the left of us. What I did was zoom in and change the words on the menu to Agent Padfoot's E-mail address and the message 'the Dr sent out explosive necklaces. Be careful.' I wasn't sure she would find the message and pass it on, but she did. This morning she sent me a message which referenced the fake name I had edited onto the restaurant menu in the picture and she told me in code that all but one of the necklaces were safely diffused and the one that wasn't (Agent Padfoot's) didn't do too much damage. I'm so glad it worked. I just hope I haven't inadvertently given myself away._

_Log O6 _

_October 20, 1979_

_Operation Guardian_

_I fear Dr. Riddle knows that it's me. At the very least, he suspects me. I knew that E-mail was too risky. But if I hadn't sent it, someone could have died, and I would have never forgiven myself. _

_He's kidnapped Kreacher. I don't know what he means to do with him. Probably torture him and attempt to hack into his brain system to find out about me. He won't manage it though. Kreacher has more security than Headquarters' top secret agent files, and that's saying something. Still, I'm worried about him. I know most people think that ELFs are just emotionless robots, but I think they're wrong. Kreacher feels just as much as any human. His loyalty to me goes beyond simple programming. I think he would disobey an order from me in order to protect my life, which is definitely not in his programming. _

_I'm going to have to be careful with what I ask from now on. Dr. Riddle no doubt suspects me. But I have to act innocent. I have to ask about Kreacher, or he'll practically have proved my guilt. But if I make a huge deal about it, it will be even more suspicious. It's a fine line I'm walking here. I have to be careful._

_Log 07_

_October 21, 1979_

_Operation Guardian_

_I asked Lucius about Kreacher. I kept it kind of casual, just saying that my ELF had gone missing and asking if he'd seen him. Lucius suggested I message Dr. Riddle and ask him because, and I quote, "he knows everything that happens around here". What a load of rubbish. If that were true, he would know that Agent Grease and I are spies, and he clearly hasn't picked up on that. Well, not enough to have proof. He only monitors communication. Oh, and he has all the rooms bugged, but that isn't a problem. I hacked into the system in my room my first day here and set it so that, with a touch of a button on my gloves (which I wear at all times), the microphone shuts off and the system transmits a muted buzz imitating the sound of a computer's fan. My computer, conveniently enough, is on a desk right next to the microphone. Agent Grease invented that little trick, and it works like a charm. _

_So, anyway, I messaged Dr. Riddle, informing him of my missing ELF. He replied almost immediately, saying that he had borrowed Kreacher to test something and he hoped I wouldn't mind. I wanted to tell him that yes, actually, I did mind, but that would be stupid, so I told him I was honored. I'm hoping that he wasn't lying and he did just borrow Kreacher randomly because he needed an ELF._

_Log 08_

_October 30, 1979_

_Operation Guardian_

_My loyal Kreacher came back to me. _

_This morning, I found him in my room. He looked terrible, but he was alive. I was so glad. I immediately locked the door and deactivated Dr. Riddle's listening device. It took me most of the morning to get Kreacher fixed up, but it was worth it. It was so worth it. Kreacher found out about Project Locket. He told me that Dr. Riddle used him to test the security on Project Locket, giving him a chance to hack into its computer system, which is separate from the main system. Now I know the horrible truth behind Project Locket. Dr. Riddle is using the Locket of Slytherin as a vessel to hold his soul. With his soul protected like this, he'll be immortal. I have to stop him. Kreacher tells me he can lead me to the place where the locket is kept. If I destroy it, I'll destroy Dr. Riddle. I have to do this, even if it means sacrificing my own life._

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><p>Thanks for reading:)<p>

Please review.


	5. Chapter 5

Disclaimer: I'm just a high school student. I don't own anything.

Author's Note: I'm starting a college class tomorrow. I'm not sure how much work I will have, but I probably won't have a lot of free time. So if I don't update this next week, that's why. Also, sorry this is kind of short. It was the most logical way to cut the chapters.

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><p><em>Log 09<em>

_October 31, 1979_

_Operation Guardian_

_Today. I'm going to do it today. I'm going to stop Project Locket. _

_I'll be leaving as soon as I finish this log. I've already ordered Kreacher to take me to the locket, then leave me. I need him to get these files back to headquarters, in case I fail. I have several ideas for destroying the locket, but I don't know if they'll work. I have to try though. I wish I had more time to prepare, but Dr. Riddle is planning to attack Agent Prongs and Agent Lilium tonight, along with their infant son. I have to stop him before he can get them. I'll just have to work with what I have. If I don't survive, this will be my last log. I hope you're listening, Sirius. I just want to say goodbye. I hope you're proud of your little brother._

_Regulus Arcturus Black_

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><p>Harry looked up as the recording stopped.<p>

"You were right, Hermione," he said. "He's dead."

Hermione shook her head.

"Something's not right," she muttered. "There's something I'm missing. Something obvious."

"What is there to miss?" Ron asked. "We just sat around for an hour listening to how he infiltrated Dr. Riddle's headquarters and gave up his life to destroy the locket."

"Actually, it was only forty-five minutes," Harry told him, looking at the numbers on small screen of the recorder.

"That's it!" Hermione shrieked. "Ron! You're a genius!"

She threw her arms around her friend and planted a kiss on his cheek.

"What did I do?" Ron asked.

"This is a type 40 audio recorder!" Hermione exclaimed, as if that answered everything.

"I'm sorry Hermione, but none of us are as technosavvy as you," Harry reminded her. "Can you explain why that's so important?"

"Type 40 recorders hold up to an hour's worth of audio," Hermione explained.

"Okay, but what does that mean?" Ron asked. "Obviously he died before he could record anything else."

Hermione shook her head.

"No," she said. "Do you see that red light near the screen? That means the memory's full. That means there's something else on here!"

"Well, how do we find it?" Harry asked.

"Some of these old audio recorders had ways of recording files and hiding them behind other files, so they didn't seem to exist," Hermione explained. "It takes up the same amount of memory, but some of the files won't play unless you press a certain code."

She fingered the keypad on the side of the audio recorder.

"I think type 40 recorders usually have a ten digit code," she recalled.

"Well, how do we find the code?" Harry asked.

"I'm thinking," Hermione muttered.

After a moment, she began pressing buttons.

"What are you doing?" Ron asked.

"Testing for electrical impulses," Hermione told him. "The key buttons should give off a slightly higher electrical charge when pressed in the right order."

Ten minutes later, Hermione grinned.

"I've got it!" she announced.

She keyed in the code and the trio watched with baited breath. A keyboard flipped out from the bottom of the recorder.

"Another code?" Ron guessed.

"I guess," Hermione agreed. "I don't know how to even start with this one."

"I've got an idea," Harry told her.

"How good is it?" Hermione asked.

"I don't know," Harry admitted. "It's just a guess."

"If you're wrong, the keyboard will flip back in, the number code will automatically change and we'll have to wait another ten minutes for me to crack it," Hermione told him. "But I don't even have a guess, so go ahead."

Harry took the device and fingered the keyboard. If he was wrong, he didn't know what he'd do. He had to be right. He just had to be.

He entered the letters carefully. He couldn't afford a mistake.

S-I-R-I-U-S

As he entered the last letter, the screen began to glow.

'TO READ HIDDEN FILES, PRESS PLAY,' it instructed.

"How did you know that?" Hermione asked.

"Just a feeling," Harry told her. "Now, let's hear what really happened to Regulus."

He pressed the play button.

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><p>Thanks for reading.<p>

Please review and boost my ego.


	6. Chapter 6

Disclaimer: Do you really think I'm J.K. Rowling?

Author's note: I only barely got this posted. I have quite a bit of homework from my class. Not to mention that I was in a performance of The Taming of the Shrew. The show was today, so that's one less thing I have to do.

Thanks to everyone who's reviewed this story, and everyone who will review this story in the future.

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><p><em>Log 10<em>

_November 1, 1979_

_Operation Guardian_

_Success! I did it! I really did it! I don't mean to sound like a little kid, but I'm just so glad to be alive. I really thought I was going to die. Actually, I would have died if it hadn't been for Kreacher. You know how I said he would disobey a direct order to save my life? I was right. And, well, I'd better start at the beginning. Kreacher led me to Dr. Riddle's inner lair, where he keeps Project Locket. Turns out, Project Locket, while involving Salazar Slytherin's locket, was a lot more complicated than I had expected. The locket was merely the container. Project Locket consisted of a huge machine that held the imprint of Dr. Riddle's soul and would be able to reconstruct him in the event of death. You'd think that the bigger the machine, the easier it is to sabotage, but that wasn't true in this case. The bloody thing was self repairing. The only easy way to disable it would be to steal the locket, but that wouldn't stop it permanently, only delay it. I told Kreacher to take the locket and go while I tried to figure out how to destroy the machine. I knew there was only one way to destroy it, and I didn't want Kreacher to be there. I wanted him to take the files back to headquarters. I wanted Sirius to get my message. Once he was gone, I took a small vial out of my bags. The most powerful acid in the world. Agent Grease gave it to me a long time ago, to be used in the event of emergency. I knew that nothing could count as more of an emergency than this, and I suspect Agent Grease would have approved of my use of it had he known. But there is a downside to this acid. The fumes are incredibly toxic. I wish I could have just thrown the vial at the machine and run. But that would not have worked. There were three key spots I would have to hit with the acid. Three places or the damage would be repaired and it would be for nothing. And in order to make sure the acid went where it should, I'd have to be exposed to the fumes for quite some time. But I was prepared to die in order to destroy Dr. Riddle. I uncapped the vial and the fumes instantly assaulted me. I started feeling dizzy immediately. But I had a mission to complete. I remember pouring the acid on the first two if the three vital points, but that's when my memory went hazy. From what Kreacher told me, he came back for me and found me collapsed on the floor, barely conscious, having only finished the first two points. He pulled me out of the room and apparently I told him what I'd been doing and he went back and finished my task. He saved my life. I can only hope we weren't too late to save Agent Prongs and Agent Lilium. _

_XXX_

"It was Regulus," Harry murmured.

"What are you talking about?" Hermione asked.

"I was only two years old when Dr, Riddle tried to kill my family, but I still remember him standing over me and laughing, seconds before collapsing suddenly," Harry said. "People told me it was some special power in my blood, but it never seemed quite right. Now I understand. It was Regulus."

"But, if he survived, where is he now?" Ron wondered.

"An excellent question, Agent Keeper," a strange voice remarked. "The correct answer would be 'standing right behind you.'"

The trio spun around and found themselves face to face with a dark-haired man who resembled Sirius.

"You're Regulus!" Hermione realized.

"That is correct," he agreed. "However, Harry, you're wrong. I only destroyed Dr. Riddle's immortality. It was your mother who shot him in the back with a laser gun."

Harry gasped. Was it possible? He had always thought of Mom as a pacifist. Would she have killed a man to protect her son? He was surprised to realize that she would.

"Um, I'm just a junior agent," Ron pointed out.

Regulus shook his head.

"You're an Agent now," he said. "You all are. You passed the test with flying colors."

"Test?"

Harry stared blankly at Regulus.

"Oh! This must have been a set up since the beginning!" Hermione realized. "They wanted us to sneak out and find Regulus! That was our test!"

"Correct, Agent Otter," Regulus agreed.

"But why have we never seen you around headquarters?" Ron asked.

"I don't spend a lot of time at headquarters," Regulus told them. "I'm usually going undercover to infiltrate the bad guys' lair. There's not much sense in letting myself get seen with the Order."

"I knew I'd seen you before!" Hermione realized. "In Quirrel's lair! The idiot minion who tripped on a wire and unplugged the death ray Quirrel was pointing at us! And with Tom Riddle! The police officer! And the minion who helped us rescue Lupin! And… I don't think you helped us with the Umbridge case. That was a girl."

"I was in Russia," Regulus told her. "That was Marta."

"Marta Greengrass? Your girlfriend?" Harry asked.

"No, Marta Black, his wife," another voice corrected.

A woman they recognized from their last adventure stepped into the room.

"Congratulations, kids," she said. "It's nice to see you again."

"It's nice to see you, too," Harry told her.

"Wait! Hold on a second!" Hermione called. "Why didn't my sensors detect anyone in the house?"

"Kreacher can explain that," Regulus told her, gesturing towards the ELF unit.

Kreacher suddenly powered back to life.

"Everything in this house was designed to throw off intruders," he explained. "The wards are the strongest defense, but the walls are engineered to block sensors in the event of intrusion. I myself have the ability to seem low on power when I am not."

"That's brilliant!" Hermione gasped. "How did you do that?"

"I can't just go around revealing my secrets," Regulus told her.

She sighed.

"Now, I think this calls for a celebration! What say you, Reggie?"

Harry looked up in surprise as his godfather barged into the room.

"Don't call me that," Regulus snapped.

"Where'd you come from?" Ron asked Sirius.

"Been here the whole time," Sirius told him. "I was watching you on Reggie's security cameras. Brilliantly done!"

Regulus glared at his brother and muttered something about banning him from the house.

"Who else is here?" Harry asked.

"Come downstairs and see," Sirius told him with a grin.

The trio followed him down to the family room. A huge group was assembled there. James and Lily Potter stood near the front, smiling proudly. Next to them were Arthur and Molly Weasley. Molly was sobbing into her husband's arms. Hermione's parents stood back a little, looking somewhat overwhelmed. While they had known about Hermione joining the Order, they had never really known what it was about. Ron's brothers were scattered around the room. Bill and Charlie were chatting near the front of the room. Percy was looking over some papers related to his latest mission. Fred and George were plotting something in hushed whispers. Ron's sister, Ginny, was discussing something with Harry's ten year old sister, Lucy. And it wasn't just family. At the front of the crowd was Albus Dumbledore, the head of the Order. Many friends had come, too. Remus Lupin was there, with his wife, Nymphadora Tonks, and their young son, Teddy. Minerva McGonagall, their camouflage teacher, and Rubeus Hagrid, the Order's animal trainer, were sitting on the couch. Harry's friend Luna was curled up in an armchair with a copy of her father's magazine, The Quibbler. Even Severus Snape was there, standing close to Lily and almost smiling.

All the assembled guests looked up as the trio came downstairs. As one, they began applauding. Seconds later, an unplanned pyrotechnic display began, courtesy of Fred and George. Harry, Hermione, and Ron exchanged shocked glances. None of them knew what to do.

"Go see your parents," a voice whispered behind them.

They exchanged one last look before running down the stairs into their parents' waiting arms. Wrapped in his parents' warm embrace, Harry glanced back towards the top of the steps, where Regulus and Marta stood overlooking the festivities. Regulus smiled and whispered something to his wife. She laughed and kissed him.

Harry grinned. Just for this moment, everything was perfect. He knew that it wouldn't last, but it didn't matter. Agent Lightning could take anything the world could throw at him.

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><p>Thanks for reading<p>

Might I hit you guys up for one last round of reviews?


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